It's chess but it's not Chinese chess. The layout is much different and there are fewer pieces in Chinese chess. However, they are from the same origin of games. According to Wikipedia, Shogi is of Japanese origin.

Westerners would refer to this game as Shogi or Japanese Chess. Since it's of Japanese origin, it's only right to use those names. Japanese on the other hand, will not refer to Western Chess as "English" chess. They will refer to it as Western Chess, Seiyou Shougi.

I promised myself not to post this time. But I can't help it. I gotta...

Why the hell are the Japanese as productive as little ants, while the american and euopean game companies just sit on their lazy asses... I just don't care if it are just card games or pet caring games or virtual cookie eating games, I want some readable shit! I wanna consume! I wanna devour a shitload of cheapo games, as long as it's new and no rererelease!

*Okay, I'm immediately apologize for being such a whiner, but you know, this life is all about looking forward to something and GBA doesn't offer it (anymore(yet))!

** o yeah, and what's this stuff with titles like "No Soft Series"? Is it hardcore then?

I don't read or speak Japanese, but Shogi is a superb game.
It's similar to (Western) chess, but when you win pieces you can drop them back into the game as your pieces ! And the promotion of pieces when they reach the far 3 rows is a bit different too.

I've never been much of a chess fan myself but Shogi really is way more interesting